Bags for Life


Book Description

Join Stuart Hillard as he expands his expertise from quilt-making to crafting beautiful and sustainable bags. With 20 stylish patterns, leading quilt designer Stuart Hillard demonstrates how to create reusable and sturdy bags for every occasion. Featuring achievable patterns and fast makes for all abilities, this is a fool-proof guide to sustainable fashion that promises professional looking results. The book delves into the anatomy of the bag and takes a visual tour of the various parts of different bags, before moving onto the specific details of pockets, zips, piping, binding, straps and handles, and even metalwork. The bags are grouped according to use, including bags for work, shopping, the beach, picnics, weekend breaks, and craft material storage.




Plastic-Free


Book Description

“Guides readers toward the road less consumptive, offering practical advice and moral support while making a convincing case that individual actions . . . do matter.” —Elizabeth Royte, author, Garbage Land and Bottlemania Like many people, Beth Terry didn’t think an individual could have much impact on the environment. But while laid up after surgery, she read an article about the staggering amount of plastic polluting the oceans, and decided then and there to kick her plastic habit. In Plastic-Free, she shows you how you can too, providing personal anecdotes, stats about the environmental and health problems related to plastic, and individual solutions and tips on how to limit your plastic footprint. Presenting both beginner and advanced steps, Terry includes handy checklists and tables for easy reference, ways to get involved in larger community actions, and profiles of individuals—Plastic-Free Heroes—who have gone beyond personal solutions to create change on a larger scale. Fully updated for the paperback edition, Plastic-Free also includes sections on letting go of eco-guilt, strategies for coping with overwhelming problems, and ways to relate to other people who aren’t as far along on the plastic-free path. Both a practical guide and the story of a personal journey from helplessness to empowerment, Plastic-Free is a must-read for those concerned about the ongoing health and happiness of themselves, their children, and the planet.




One Plastic Bag


Book Description

In Njau, Gambia, discarded plastic bags littered the roads. Water pooled in them, bringing mosquitoes and disease. But Isatou Ceesay found a way to recycle the bags and transform her community. An inspirational true story.




Life Without Plastic


Book Description

After the birth of their son, Jay Sinha and Chantal Plamondon set out on a journey to eliminate plastic baby bottles as the Canadian government banned BPA. When they found it was difficult to procure glass baby bottles, Jay and Chantal made it their mission to not only find glass and metal replacements for plastic, but to make those products accessible to the public as well. Printed on wood-free FSC (sustainable certified) paper and with BPA-free ink, Life Without Plastic strives to create more awareness on the issue of BPA, polycarbonates and other single-use plastics, and provides readers with safe, reusable and affordable alternatives. While plastic has its uses in technology, medical and some products around the home, certain single-use plastics release chemicals when put in contact with food and water. These disposable plastics are also found in produce and cleaning products. Jay and Chantal show readers how to analyze their personal plastic use, find alternatives and create easy replacements in this step-by-step guide. Get your family healthier, spread consciousness and create positive reflection on you for helping the environment by taking action.




A Quilting Life


Book Description

“With its diverse selection of fabrics and designs, A Quilting Life is a fine pick for any quilter looking to produce family-oriented keepsake results.” —The Needlecraft Shelf Bring the handmade tradition home with these charming quilts and home accessories. Inspired by a grandmother who loved to sew for her family, quilter and blogger Sherri McConnell gives traditional patterns like hexagons, stars, snowballs, and Dresden Plates a new look featuring fabrics by some of today’s most popular designers. Nineteen cozy projects include pillows, tote bags, table runners, and larger quilts—quick and easy designs that make great gifts. “Sherri’s book is a treasure! It’s full of fun and straight-forward patterns for quilts, table toppers, pillows, bags and more—all the goodies to make a cozy home.” —Thimbleanna “Would you like the opportunity to make tomorrow’s heirlooms in today’s vast selection of prints? . . . If so, this could be the reference book that will get you started. There are 19 projects, mainly focusing on handmade household items but including some larger quilts too.” —Fabrications Quilting for You “Beautiful inspiration if you are a seasoned quilter, but also a great resource with clear and in some cases, simple patterns for newbies as well.” —Diary of a Quilter “Color photos of finished needlework projects accompany step-by-step diagrams and assembly patterns, while at-a-glance sidebars covering materials and cutting allow needleworkers to gauge the complexity of each project.” —The Needlecraft Shelf




On the Go Bags - 15 Handmade Purses, Totes & Organizers


Book Description

Fab and functional bags to sew … that perfectly fit your life on the go! Favorite bag designers and top bloggers share 15 unique organizers, all tailored to a specific purpose. From a laptop folio or a gym bag to an airport sling or a trunk organizer, every tote has just the right features to keep your essentials within easy reach. Practical, stylish, and versatile by design, each carryall has multiple uses. Projects are organized by skill level, from confident beginner to more advanced, so you can grow as you sew!




Life Unstyled


Book Description

We are bombarded by perfect interiors, images that aren't attainable because they have been styled to the point where they bear no resemblance to reality. These interiors may be stunning, but they aren't an honest reflection of how we really live. Life Unstyled is about taking inspiration from real homes that are beautiful, creative and inspiring but at the same time a little rough around the edges, with signs of everyday life evident throughout. The first section, 'Homes Unstyled', sets out Emily's manifesto for creating a stylish home that is beautiful but lived in. A Home is Never Done advocates allowing your space to evolve gradually so it is an ever-changing expression of your tastes and interests. Work with What You've Got suggests ways to make the most of the home you have rather than yearning for unattainable perfection. Signs of Life offers ideas for wrangling papers, clutter and other stuff. Creative Clutter tackles collections and displays, while Break the Rules rejects style diktats and shows how individuality can bring a home to life. The second section, 'People Live Here', visits real-life homes that are definitely not perfect yet display incredible style and creativity and reflect their owners' needs, tastes and style. And throughout the book, quick fixes, DIY makes and ' Every Home Should Have...' boxes offer creative solutions with unique results.







Tiny, Perfect Things


Book Description

This is the story of a child and a grandfather whose walk around the neighborhood leads to a day of shared wonder as they discover all sorts of tiny, perfect things together.




Science for Life


Book Description

In Science for Life acclaimed science writer Brian Clegg cuts through the vested interests and confusing contradictory statements that litter the media and the internet, to give a clear picture of what science is telling us right now about changing our lives for the better. Discover the much-advertised antioxidants that aren't good for you, the truth about fat and sugar and why one of the healthiest foods contains carcinogens and 21 E-numbers. Find out what does and what doesn't enhance brainpower – from the failure of playing Mozart to babies to the surprising abilities of caffeine and nicotine. Understand the tools that advertisers use to persuade us and how to turn the psychological pressure back on them. From the shortcomings of the five second rule to the truth about phone masts and nuclear power, kept up-to-date on a partnering website, Science for Life is your guide to surviving and thriving in the modern world.